


love is blind

by cuddlypcy



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, M/M, blind!chanyeol, boys are younger than real life, but like the age differences are the same, mentioned baekhyun/kyungsoo, toben is toben but not toben, twins!jongin and sehun
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-07
Updated: 2019-02-07
Packaged: 2019-10-23 16:40:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,554
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17687165
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cuddlypcy/pseuds/cuddlypcy
Summary: park chanyeol is blind. he hasn't been blind forever but he's been blind for a while. but it’s okay because jongin loves him anyway.





	love is blind

**Author's Note:**

> i hope you guys enjoy this! i actually really like it which is a first, lol. leave a comment down below about what you think!

park chanyeol is blind. he hasn't been blind forever but he's been blind for a while. it was the day after his 18th birthday when it happened. he woke up in the morning and he just couldn't see. he thought his eyes were still closed until he touched his face and found them wide open. he screamed for his mother and was terrified when she ran in and he couldn't see her. she rushed him to the hospital who informed them that chanyeol had a previously undiscovered disease that caused the eyesight loss, and that there was nothing they could do. not even an eye transplant would help him, the chords attaching his eyes to his brain were the problem. he would be blind for the rest of his life.

chanyeol cried for almost a year after he found out the news. he refused to leave his house, sometimes even his bed, instead wallowed in the darkness that was his new life. he dropped out of university 2 months in and spent his miserable days listening to sad music and sobbing.

even a year after it all happened he still didn't want to rejoin society. he left the house a little more after getting used to using his guide dog, a chocolate lab named toben as his parents told him, but not very often. he couldn't deal with not knowing how to get around anymore. his friends would visit him occasionally but he hated the sound of pity in their voices when they spoke to him. overall, for the first 2 years of his blindness, chanyeol was severely depressed.

it isn't until the third year that everything changes. he's decides to go back to university to get his degree. he applies to the music program as a guitar player and surprisingly gets in. he's ecstatic, it's the first time in years he's actually felt something good, so he can't wait to start.

the first day is both exciting and scary. he's almost 20, 2 years older than the others in first year, but he tries not to think about that too much. it'd be easier if he was with people he already knew but it's what he has and he has to deal with it.

toben leads him to his building where he meets jazz, the administrator for the program who will take him up to the department floor.

"are you park chanyeol?" she asks. chanyeol knows she already knows the answer but he appreciates that she asks.

"i am," he replies. he holds a hand out and she shakes it.

"let's go up so your dog can get acquainted with the floor," she says. he tells toben to follow her lead and they slowly make their way to the elevator.

"it's okay that i have toben with me, right?" he asks.

"we'll have to see if anyone has a dog allergy but if not, then yes," she replies.

"i actually have a dog allergy," he says, chuckling lightly. "i have to take pills every morning and night so i don't have a reaction."

"i'm sorry, that sounds difficult."

"it's okay, i'm used to it. better allergies than constantly getting lost."

the elevator stops on the 9th floor and the group walk out, jazz leading chanyeol and toben to a room.

"this is the main classroom for our department, you'll have most of your classes here," she explains. "if you'd like to walk around and get a feel for it you can."

he agrees and lets toben lead him around the room, making sure he gets to smell everything. jazz then takes them around the small floor, letting toben explore the practice rooms, student lounge, and other classroom like rooms. once chanyeol's sure that toben has smelt everything, they make their way back to the main classroom. chanyeol has a class that starts in about 10 minutes so he sits down in the front row, thanking jazz for showing him around.

"it's no problem," she replies. "come and find me when you're leaving and i'll show you out."

he thanks her again then she leaves him and toben alone in the classroom.

he feels someone sit beside him a few minutes later and smiles, hopefully in their direction.

"your dog is cute," the boy says.

"thank you," chanyeol replies, petting toben who sits on guard at his feet. "his name's toben. and mine's chanyeol."

"jongin," the boy replies. "what are you here for?"

"guitar."

"you can play? that's so cool!"

"why, because i'm blind?"

he only meant it in a teasing way but jongin beside him quickly assured him that that's not what he meant.

"i can't play so it's cool that you can," he says.

"relax, i was joking," chanyeol says. "what about you?"

"singer songwriter, i play piano," jongin replies.

"i haven't played piano in almost 3 years."

"is that how long you've been blind?"

"yeah, november 28th will be the 3 year anniversary."

"i'm sorry that happened to you."

"it's okay. it's been a hard few years but i'm learning to deal with it."

"how old were you?"

"18, it was the day after my birthday."

"oh, wow." jongin's silent for a bit and chanyeol's worried that he's left. until he says, "that's so crazy. if you don't mind me asking, what happened?"

"i had an undiscovered, slow growing disease and one morning i just woke up not being able to see anymore." chanyeol sighs, the memory of that day still fresh in his mind. "i just opened my eyes to complete darkness and it's been that way ever since. nothing they can do for me."

"i'm so sorry," jongin whispers.

"it's okay," chanyeol says. "i've got my best buddy here to help me out so i'll be fine." toben licks his fingers to agree with his words and chanyeol chuckles.

"if you ever need or want anything, you can ask me, i'll be happy to help," jongin offers.

"i'll keep that in mind."

he takes jongin up on his offer that day after class, the two luckily taking the exact same bus home, and they become friends fast.

less than 2 months into the school year, they spend almost every minute of their time at school together. chanyeol introduces jongin to his upper year friends and jongin introduces chanyeol to his twin brother, sehun. all 9 of them meet up daily for breakfast or lunch but jongin always makes sure he sticks to chanyeol's side. chanyeol suspects it's to play with toben when he lets him but he'll take it.

he develops feelings fast. one day jongin is just chanyeol's closest friend and the next, chanyeol can't get the boy's voice and smell out of his mind. he doesn't know what the younger looks like but he doesn't have to. he likes him for his personality, the way he's so sweet to chanyeol, always eager to help him. he's there for chanyeol when he stresses out, when he gets lost, forgets his laptop at his house, forgets his guitar at his house. there's nothing jongin won't do for him. and he does it all without being asked. he just takes one look at chanyeol and knows that something is wrong and how to help. how could chanyeol not fall for him, honestly.

he confides in his friends baekhyun and kyungsoo about a month after discovering his feelings and the couple tell him to talk it out with jongin. chanyeol refuses, he's definitely not ready to let the younger know just yet.

"what's the worst that can happen?" baekhyun asks.

"he'll reject me then not want to be around me anymore and i won't have him in my life," chanyeol replies easily. "i value his friendship so much, i don't want to jeopardize anything."

"then take your time," kyungsoo says, placing a hand on chanyeol's shoulder. "but tell him eventually. it'll eat you alive if you don't."

the next day at school, chanyeol tries to ignore his feelings for the younger but it becomes difficult when jongin keeps his hand hooked around chanyeol's elbow all day. toben is sick at the moment, just a stomach bug, so chanyeol's decided that it's best he stay home to recover. because of that, jongin is meeting him at his house in the mornings and helping him get around everywhere. he appreciates it of course but it's hard to ignore the warmth that spreads from jongin's hand to his arm.

"yeol?" he hears jongin ask, pulling him from his thoughts.

"mm?" chanyeol replies.

"you okay?" jongin asks.

"yeah, why?"

"you zoned out, i've been talking for the past 5 minutes and you haven't said anything."

"sorry, i was just thinking."

"anything i can help with?"

chanyeol considers telling jongin but talks himself out of it quickly. not yet, he decides. "not really. but thanks."

"anytime." jongin tugs on chanyeol's elbow and punches the code in for the lounge. he guides chanyeol to the empty couch and helps him to sit down before plopping down right beside him.

"have you done your theory assignment yet?" he asks.

"not yet, i was waiting until we got here to get you to read it out for me," chanyeol says.

"okay, shall we start now?"

"in a minute." he pauses for a moment, considering whether he should ask jongin what he's wanted to for months. "could i ask you something?"

"of course," jongin replies.

"if you're okay with it, i kind of want to touch your face," he says. "i know it sounds weird but i want to know what you feel like."

"go ahead," jongin says. he takes chanyeol's arm and guides it up to his face, letting the older's finger land on his forehead. chanyeol drags his finger across jongin's forehead then down until it meets his busy eyebrows. he runs his finger along the caterpillar resembling shapes before moving down to jongin's closed eyes, getting a feel for the shape of them. they felt almost like an oval, kind of droopy on the end. he could imagine jongin with his soft, droopy eyes looking absolutely adorable.

he trails down his nose next, noticing the flat end which he pokes at until jongin whines at him to stop. chanyeol chuckles but moves his hand to feel jongin's cheek structure. it feels strong, he likes that. he's sure whether to touch the boy's lips or not, he doesn't know if it would weird him out, but he needs to feel them. jongin described them as really plush and chanyeol really wants to feel them. he lets his finger trail along jongin's top lip then follows the natural shape until his finger rests in the middle.

"are you sure you're not puckering your lips?" he asks. "no one's mouth is this naturally plump."

"i assure you i'm not," jongin mumbles, chanyeol's finger still pressed against his mouth. "kyungsoo's are just as thick but his form a heart when he smiles. much cuter than mine."

"i figured. baekhyun tells me, in detail, how much he loves kyungsoo's lips on a daily. kind of disturbing, apparently those two do nothing but make out and have sex."

"ew, gross."

"exactly." chanyeol pulls his hand away from jongin's face and drops it back to his lap, satisfied with his feel of jongin.

"so, what's the verdict?" jongin asks.

"huh?"

"you know, what's the reason you wanted to touch my face? am i handsome? do i have a weirdly structured face?"

"i like your face."

chanyeol obviously can't see jongin's reaction but he hopes he's blushing. he'd look cute with a blush.

"i like your face, too," jongin says.

"i like my face as well," chanyeol says. "haven't seen it in a while but i liked it when i was 18."

"you're so narcissistic," jongin says, chuckling.

"i'm confident. my looks are about the only thing i'm confident in these days."

"don't think like that." jongin grabs chanyeol's hand and places it on his lap. "you can play the guitar so you should be confident about that, you can sing, you're super smart, and of course you're handsome. you have lots of things to be confident about. don't sell yourself short."

chanyeol is silent for a few moments, his heart fluttering in his chest at jongin's words, then squeezes jongin's hand gently.

"so, you think i'm handsome?" he says. jongin scoffs and smacks chanyeol's arm.

"you just ruined it," he says. chanyeol grins as he nudges jongin's shoulder with his own. "come on, get your theory assignment out and i'll help you."

after their last class that day, jongin helps chanyeol home as he always does but he hangs around that afternoon to continue helping chanyeol with his assignment. the two go up to chanyeol's room where chanyeol knows toben will be waiting for him. his thoughts are confirmed when he feels a tongue lick his hand from the floor.

"hi, buddy," chanyeol says. toben jumps up on the bed beside chanyeol and lays his head on his lap, letting out a content sigh.

"i missed you, too," chanyeol says, running his hands through toben's fur.

"you're really close," jongin comments, watching the older and his dog.

"of course we are. we have to be so he wants to look out for me. and i love him." he pats toben's head again then reaches down to his backpack to pull out the assignment.

"let's leave the assignment for a bit," jongin says.

"is there something else you want to do?" chanyeol asks.

"i want to talk. i know we've been friends for a few months now but we've never really talked much about you."

"in what way?"

"those almost three years where we didn't know each other. i want to know everything."

"everything?"

"yes."

"even the multiple times i tried to kill myself?"

jongin is silent for what feels like hours before he shakily asks: "you did?"

"of course i did." chanyeol sighs. he'd hoped that he wouldn't have to talk about this with jongin. "i was severely depressed for 2 years, jongin. i tried 4 times in those 2 years. the first and third times i tried to take a bunch of pills but my sister caught me both times, the second and fourth i tried to make myself bleed to death. both of those times my parents took me to the hospital before i could even get close enough. i'm not proud that i tried to do it but i just couldn't handle the idea of living without eyesight."

"do you wish that you'd been able to?" jongin asks.

"for a while, yes. not now."

"why not?"

"i have a new reason to live. you."

"me?"

"yes."

"in a friend way or another way?"

"well, i-i don't know which is the right one to say. i don't want to upset you."

"just say it," jongin whispers as he slides his hand over to cover chanyeol's.

"i, uh, didn't plan on telling you so soon but i kind of, maybe, might like you a little bit? but i don't want to ruin our friendship so i'll pretend i don't if you want me to. i value your friendship more than anything else so-"

chanyeol is cut off when jongin places a hand on his cheek and turns his head to press their lips together. chanyeol gasps into the surprise kiss but the feeling of jongin's wonderful lips against his is too amazing to ignore so he's quick to kiss back. jongin lets out a sigh of relief between their mouths and presses harder, enveloping chanyeol's bottom lip with his own. the hand not holding chanyeol up on the bed moves to jongin's head and slides into the younger's hair. jongin parts his lips against chanyeol's and slowly introduces his tongue to the older's mouth, licking tentatively across his bottom lip. chanyeol lets out a groan and eagerly opens his mouth to welcome jongin's tongue against his.

chanyeol could have continued kissing jongin for the rest of his life but they end up breaking apart when chanyeol tries to push jongin down and disrupts toben on his lap. the dog begins barking, worried that his owner is in distress, so chanyeol has to pull away from jongin to reassure toben that he's okay. he hears jongin panting beside him and feels a rush of pride envelop him knowing he's the one that caused it.

"i hope that means you like me, too," he says.

"i've liked you since the moment i met you," jongin replies.

"you don't mind the blindness?" chanyeol asks.

"if i did i wouldn't have approached you. i didn't just find toben cute, i found you cute, too."

"you're cute, too."

"you don't know what i look like."

"don't have to, your personality is cute." chanyeol sends jongin a grin and knows jongin is doing the same when he leans in to kiss him again.

——

they agree to keep it to themselves for the first little while but they only manage a few weeks before the group catch them. chanyeol and jongin are in chanyeol's room doing their homework (making out) when the other 7 boys walk in on them. chanyeol hears a voice cough behind them and accidentally shoves jongin off of him in a panic, sending the younger onto the floor.

"yeol," jongin whines. he looks up to the door and pales when he sees their group of friends watching them in amusement.

"took you long enough," baekhyun teases.

"we've actually been dating for 3 weeks," jongin says, climbing back up onto the bed with chanyeol.

"and you didn't tell us?" sehun says. "not even me, your twin brother?"

"we wanted to enjoy the first little bit for ourselves," jongin says.

"i've never had a boyfriend before so i wanted to enjoy it before we told everybody," chanyeol adds. he feels jongin slide closer so he grabs his boyfriend's hand and laces their fingers together.

"you look happy," junmyeon comments. "it suits you."

"i am happy, i love him," chanyeol says. jongin's hand squeezes his as jongin whispers that he loves him, too. he can't see what jongin is thinking or whether he looks at chanyeol with as much love as chanyeol looks at him but it doesn't matter. chanyeol doesn't need his vision to see that he and jongin are perfect for each other. love doesn't care who you are or what you've been through, love is blind.

— epilogue —

it's finally chanyeol and jongin's graduation day. they've been waiting for this day for 4 years and they're so happy that it's finally come. the two have been through so much together in the past years and can't wait to get through whatever else comes their way. in fact, chanyeol's actually planned to propose to jongin at the graduation ceremony. he's discussed his plans with the principal and got the 'okay' to go through with it. he's beyond nervous but he's pretty certain jongin will say yes. he really hopes.

they've planned for chanyeol to go up on stage when everyone has officially graduated and once it's all done, the principal walks back up onstage.

"i'd like to invite park chanyeol up onto the stage to say a few words," he says. chanyeol and jongin's friends cheer chanyeol on as he and toben make their way up onto the stage. chanyeol takes the microphone from the principal and holds it up to his lips, taking a shaky breath.

"could i get kim jongin to join me up here please?" he asks. he hears mumbled voices but nothing else until he feels jongin grab his hand.

"you okay?" his boyfriend whispers.

"yeah," chanyeol replies. he clears his throat to catch the attention of the crowd again and releases jongin's hand to grab the ring from his pocket. he and jongin's parents picked it out specially knowing what jongin would like.

"hi everyone," he says. "thank you for letting me come up here to speak. i only have one thing i want to say." he turns to where he assumes jongin's standing and takes his hand again. "jongin, my love, i love you so much. i am so grateful that we met all those years ago in class and that you've stuck beside me even though my blindness is a lot to deal with. i don't know how you've done it, i don't think i could have stayed with me. i want to spend the rest of my life with you, loving you until the day i die."

he gets down on one knee and hears jongin gasp.

"kim jongin, will you do me the honour of marrying me?" he asks, holding out the engagement ring for his boyfriend.

"oh my god, chanyeol, yes i will," jongin cries. "yes, yes, yes."

jongin falls to his knees in front of chanyeol and grabs his boyfriend's, now fiancé's, face and presses their lips together. the cheering of the crowd become background noise as chanyeol manages to find jongin's ring finger and slide the ring on.

"i love you so much," he whispers.

"i love you more," jongin replies. the two kiss again before toben decides he wants to join in, licking both of their faces enthusiastically. they pull away giggling and chanyeol's heart feels weightless in his chest. he could not be happier.


End file.
